Aanker
Aanker is one of the older TWC Minecraft community members, his activity dating back to the Ancient World in 2010. He is the co-founder of the oldest and one of the most prestigious factions, the Dwarven Empire, founded the city of Erthir on the Ancient World, helped lay the foundations of the city of Urahamr on the Old World, played a leading role in the foundation of the controversial United Empire and is currently one of several dwarven Lords or Oligarchs in the resurgent Dwarven Empire. Beginning of Membership In 2010, Aanker joined the TWC Minecraft community, almost immediately beginning the construction of Erthir, the first dwarven city and one of several to be built (the other most notable city being Orzimmar built by co-founder and Dwarven King Mitch) on the ancient server as part of the Dwarven Empire-Commonwealth. Together with others of his kin, he helped shape the iron fist and great power of the dwarves, later taking part in the first war the community witnessed - the Squeaktasian War - although he gained little personal success. Only in the Wars of the Alliances did Aanker display battlefield prowess, but the experience gained in these two wars would prove crucial to his ability to lead and fight in far greater, later wars. From 2010 to early 2011, Aanker served as moderator in the TWC Minecraft subforums. Career With the ascent of the Dwarven Empire to power, Aanker operated mainly as the "shadow hand" of the kingdom, brokering deals and preventing wars with neighbouring factions, but his diplomatical career would prove to be shaky at first; a declaration of war on the Brotherhood of Blocks made him an impopular diplomat, but he would later be one of the driving figures behind the formation of the militarily successfull United Empire. As a military commander, Aanker proved to be of acceptable measure, suffering a defeat in a rushed attack on The Brotherhood heartland but later successfully defeating the enemy in the Battle of the Tunnels. Preferring organization and discipline before all else, he employed unit-wide tactics that ultimately left the United Empire successfull on the field of battle. Aanker also won some small skirmish victories. In conjunction with the dissolution of the United Empire following a server restart and external criticism, Aanker went inactive for some time before briefly returning to plan the reconstruction of the Dwarven Empire on a newer server, building the fortress Skyspear together with others of his faction. Unfortunately, a server restart again left him inactive and it would take until late 2011-early 2012 before he would return to actively take part in the TWC Minecraft community again, this time returning as one of the Oligarchs of the Dwarven Empire, resurgent. Emperor of the Dwarven Empire See also: First Northern-Dwarven War Aanker was elected Emperor of the Dwarven Empire as the faction reemerged with the birth of the New World. Although this position would at first be proven highly ceremonial, times changed. As the diplomatical situation deteriorated after the invasion and acquisition of Gobland, and the subsequent forming of a power bloc aligned specifically against the Dwarven Empire, Josst handed his powers as Chancellor over to Emperor Aanker. Aanker was able to restore some order to the diplomatical situation through negotiation with The Brotherhood, even though war was already inevitable with the Men of the North. In spite of holding a significant equipment shortage and lacking the necessary means to fight the Northmen, the dwarves managed to inflict some losses on them, but were ultimately defeated decisively. Mitch was given emergency powers, and the Emperor position was discontinued. Reformation of the Dwarven Empire Aanker, together with the rest of the Council of Lords, sought to restore some functionality to the Dwarven Empire and actively parttook in the writing of a new Constitution. During the Golden Age of Solgrundir, when most projects in the capital were completed, he constructed the Commoner's City as a residential and commercial area. The Second Great War In the Second Great War, Aanker fought in a number of battles and parttook in a relief expedition to help the Order, the primary target of Northman raids. In this war, he gained little success but proved to be, just like every dwarven soldier, an asset on the field. The Second Northern-Dwarven War As a member of the Council of Lords, Aanker held a sceptical position to the Second Northern-Dwarven War, but nevertheless embraced his task to bring the full force of dwarven fury on his enemy. Aanker killed some enemies, mostly thanks to his magical sword Eldaglandir, which not only encased its woeful target in flames, but also cut through limbs in a fearsomely quick fashion. Sadly, by the end of the Second Northern-Dwarven War, Eldaglandir was taken away by the Mods of the server as part of a new set of rules that forbade the use of enchanted equipment.